The speedometer of the Porsche 911 Carrera S jumps from 0 to 60 in less than
five seconds. The needle quickly passes 100. Your hands get clammy as you think
about breathing while looking at the track ahead, focusing on the correct line
for your turn. You feel the G forces pushing your body as you hit the apex
of the corner, trying to achieve the threshold level of braking—just to the
point before the antilock system intervenes. You judge it correctly and
accelerate out, looking ahead to the next turn.If speed is your thing, head
to the Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort, where motor enthusiasts can indulge
their passion with the Porsche Driving Experience at Barber Motorsport Park, the
only Porsche school in the country. After classroom coaching about safety,
precision driving, strategy and maneuvers like heel-and-toe downshifting from
the likes of chief driving instructor Hurley Haywood, three-time winner of the
24 Hours of Le Mans, you grab a helmet and head out to the 16-turn, 2.38-mile
track.
Eighty percent of this turbocharged driver’s ed school is spent on the
track, where you build skills in control, situational awareness and
high-performance driving. With an instructor from the lead car talking you
through each straightaway and corner, you test both your limits and that of the
machine. Chances are, you’ll give out before the Porsche does.
Next: Ultimate Spa Experience
